Help on chairs please

[missnesss]

Hi all, got a little carried away on ebay, saw these chairs, advertised as 16th century imports and bought from a dealer but too big for her new house,  my gut instinct tells me if this is true why did she advertise them on ebay for 99p start? Anyway they came to £130 which is ok if they are modern, but just wanted to check if anyone could give me some info on them? Many thanks for an help
Vanessa

[mart]

Hard to tell much from a topside view !! And the pics are a bit cloudy !! Can you take a pic of the underside of the seat in good light ?? First impression is that they are reproductions from the 70`s !!

[missnesss]

Hi thanks for the reply, afraid no more pics, I haven't picked them up yet, am due to pic up on Tuesday, but not quite sure what I'm looking for to find out their age, could you give me any tips? I know to look for glue for the joins and the patana/feel to look for age/worn feet

[mart]

Mostly just looking to see how they are made !!  Style numbers printed on bottom is a modern clue, modern screws ect !!  Just post the pic to this post when you get them !! This style was popular in the 70`s but today they are really hard to sell,, they are not very popular so low start bid would be typical !!

[mariok54]

The dealer had interesting taste in wallpaper

[missnesss]

This is the home of the woman who bought them from a dealer apparantly, I used to live near the house it's on a big council estate, I guess it gets people wanting to make the home look posh inside instead.
 I have tried looking on line for a similar example but I guess me typing in gothic 16th century chairs which is how they were described is probably why I am coming up with nothing! Any idea how I can search for similar items?
Thanks again for replies

[mariok54]

I certainly am no expert on chairs, there is one on this forum, jacon, but he doesn't seem to be around, but ... I would hazard a guess that they were not 16th century. I've never seen chairs of that period padded, but I could be wrong. The style also does not look quite right. Without seeing close-ups of the joints and underside the earliest that I would put on them would be late 19th century. That was a period of Gothic and Renaissance revival. Nevertheless, nice looking chairs.

[missnesss]

Thanks Mario, agree with what you mean about the padding from what I've seen online so far from that century,  I found the spindle legs confusing, if they were late 19th century would they be more likely to be curvy, can't remember the technical term

[mariok54]

Are you thinking of cabriole legs?

Bear in mind that any revival movement tries to copy what it's trying to revive .... I hear there's even a movement starting to try to revive me

[mariok54]

Just re-read your original post and realised that you are from the UK and that they were described as 'imports' .... where were they stated to have been imported from?

[missnesss]

Yes Cabriole, duh sorry absolute newbie at this, not sure why I think I can make a profit on chairs that I have bought with no idea about any of it! I don't know where they were imported from, I should ask. I think my main question is, should I go ahead and buy them based on the fact they were sold as 16th c imports (from wherever!) which is looking unlikely, actually my main question is am I likely to sell them for more than the £130 I bid? One does have a bit of a ding ( see picture )

[missnesss]

This was the info on ebay:
6 chairs (2 carvers) TABLE NOT INCLUDED
These chairs are oak and upholstered in purple leather
Solid heavy stunning chairs
Bought over from Europe in the 16th century and stayed in the same family until I bought them from a dealer
Absolutely stunning in the flesh a real eye catcher

Thsee are used chairs so some wear and tear is to be expected
The main thing being a slight scuff/knock to one of the carvers head cushions (see pic 4)I have been told its an easy fix, a ball of rubber placed in the cushion and the leather resealed
A couple of chairs have the tiny pin covering missing, again easily replaced
A few knocks to the legal but due to the age of them it's nothing and certainly doesn't effect them if anything it adds to the character and not easily noticed

[mariok54]

Hi... I've found the listing in ebay, and this person has no feedback at all as a seller, only as a buyer.
you were bidding against only 4 others, and none of them have a history of bidding on this type (listed as) furniture. It is always a good idea to check what your opposition normally buy, it can be quite comforting. My gut feeling, just from looking at the listing and bidders, is that these chairs possibly are not even revival ..... but wait for others to comment.

[mariok54]

What I am trying to say is that if you were buying them to keep, then you could probably live with the buy, but as you plan to sell on ... then... I wouldn't, but then again, wait for others to comment

[missnesss]

Thanks for the advice Mariok and interesting on what you say re ebay, didn't think to delve any further, food for thought! I think I will just stay away from antiques full stop, I bought a set of bone handled knives and forks in a mahogany box for £10 locally, listed them as a buy it now with shipping and some guy from japan bought straight away and wanted postage at £40 so I think I got too confident!